The Newfound Attraction Conundrum
by Torriaa-42
Summary: When the boys leave for the Arctic, Penny starts thinking strange thoughts about a certain physicist. P/S. Rated M for later chapters!
1. Chapter 1

_AN: Hope you enjoy this, please review! No flames please, I'm just getting started on the site! :)_

_I do not own The Big Bang Theory, if I did, Sheldon and Penny would have hooked up long ago! ;)_

It all started when they left for the Arctic.

Penny had driven her boys to the airport on a Sunday afternoon, Sheldon complaining the whole way about the check engine light, which, after all this time, was still blinking. Upon arriving at the airport, Leonard was the first to give her an over-eager hug. Penny decided to humor him, reciprocating with false enthusiasm. Her hug from Howard had started innocent enough, but she slapped him away after she felt his hand slowly sliding towards her ass. Raj gave a surprised squeak when Penny hugged him, returning the hug and turning his pelvis to the side. And then came Sheldon, her whack-a-doodle. She half expected him to scold her about "invasion of personal space" when she threw her arms around him, but to her great surprise he tentatively wrapped his arms around her waist. She smiled and bid them farewell, wished them good luck, and headed back to her car.

Even though she would miss her boys, Penny was just the slightest bit happy... now she could sing as loud as she wanted without Sheldon's criticism, walk around in even the tiniest clothing without Howard's leering eyes all over her; she wouldn't have to deal with Leonard tripping over himself like an eager puppy around her, or Sheldon scolding her for missing HALO. At this final thought, her smile faltered a bit. _Wait... am I actually sad about not having HALO night?_ Penny thought, but she quickly brushed the thought away as she pulled out her phone, deciding this would be the perfect night to catch up with her girlfriends. She'd been neglecting them recently, having spent so much time with the boys. A girl's night was much needed... _no HALO or superheroes included!_ Penny thought, smiling.

She'd been happy to see her friends, and after watching a movie they had all sat in the living room, laughing and sipping wine.

That's when it started.

"So how are those crazies next door doing, Penny?" Becca had asked, smiling.

"Oh, they're fine, they're actually on an expedition in the Arctic right now." Penny had explained.

"That's so exciting!" Michelle exclaimed.

"Yeah..." Penny laughed suddenly. "Sheldon is probably already making them all wish they'd never gone... "Leonard, that igloo is not a perfect dome! Strike one!" " she imitated Sheldon, giggling. At this, Michelle and Becca shared knowing smirks.

"What?" Penny asked, confused.

"Oh, come on, sweetie, you know what... that tall doctor of yours." Michelle said slyly, winking at her.

"Wait, wait, of _mine_? Me? And _Sheldon_? Tall, skinny, whack-a-doodle _Sheldon_?" Penny said incredulously.

"You don't give him enough credit, he's pretty cute in a genius, geek-chic kind of way." Becca said.

"Yeah, Pen, intelligence is sexy." Michelle nodded in agreement.

Penny couldn't believe this. "You guys seriously think there's something between me and Sheldon?"

"Um, duh." Becca rolled her eyes.

'Pen. Seriously? You guys are always doing that whole flirty-bickering-teasing thing, and you never stop talking about the guy. Come on, girl." Michelle raised her eyebrows.

"Guys, no... Sheldon is just... a friend..." Penny stammered, mind reeling.

Becca and Michelle had laughed, obviously not believing her. "Whatever you say, hon. Whatever you say." Becca had said with a wink.

After the girls left, Penny sat in the middle of her couch, mouth open, trying to collect her thoughts.

_Well, he's really not that bad... I mean, he has those gorgeous blue eyes, and_.. whoa, whoa, WHOA. This was _Sheldon_ she was thinking about here! Nerdy Sheldon! The Flash Sheldon! Tall, skinny, neurotic Sheldon! She shook her head, glancing in the direction of their apartment. Sighing, she got up, padding down the hallway into her bed, shutting the door behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: Chapter two for you, lovelies! The first half or so is Sheldon's interpretation of events at the airport. I'm going to be alternating between Penny and Sheldon's points of view throughout the story. Enjoy!_

_Sadly, The Big Bang Theory isn't mine. One can only dream!_

It had commenced upon their departure for the Arctic.

Sheldon had begrudgingly allowed Penny to drive him, Leonard, Howard and Raj to the airport, despite the fact that her check engine light continued to blink, which he reminded her at regular intervals throughout the ride. Upon their arrival, Leonard had proceeded to throw himself on Penny. Sheldon sighed inwardly; Leonard had clearly either not realized or didn't care about the blatantly obvious fact that Penny did not reciprocate his feelings. In fact, he calculated that the odds of Penny coming to some realization of her adoration for Leonard were one in five million six hundred eighty two thousand and thirty one. In other words, it wasn't going to happen.

After Penny had awkwardly reciprocated Leonard's overzealous hug, she moved on to Howard. Sheldon, in his infinite knowledge, could already see the danger lurking around the corner, but Penny seemed oblivious to the risk. Sure enough, Howard's hand began creeping slowly downward until it came to rest directly on her backside. Sheldon counted down in his head. _3...2...1... _SMACK! Penny slapped a very smug looking Howard away. Upon hugging Raj, the Indian man turned beet red and turned his pelvis away, lightly returning the hug.

Sheldon wearily expected that Penny would want to invade his personal space and hug him goodbye. What he didn't expect was the slight twinge of affection he felt when Penny threw her arms around his neck. He found himself not stiff and unresponding as he usually was when physical contact was involved, but wrapping his arms around her waist and shyly returning the hug. _What on earth is happening here? I detest physical contact! _Sheldon thought, abruptly pulling away from Penny. _Perhaps I am becoming ill. Yes, that must be it. Hopefully my health will be regained upon our arrival to the Arctic..._

Waving goodbye to Penny, the boys all walked towards the check-in counter. After passing through security and finding their gate, with Sheldon complaining the whole time about the lack of hygiene in airports, they boarded their plane. Sheldon sat down and promptly shut his eyes, trying not to think about the amount of recirculated air currently in the aircraft. He attempted to distract himself from this fact throughout the take-off, deciding to think about all the things he found fascinating._ Schrodinger's cat... black holes... The Flash... Doctor Who... the String Theory... Penny... _

Hold on. _Penny_? Where had _that_ come from? Since when did he find Penny _fascinating_? Sheldon felt overwhelmed with confusion, until he assured himself that what he must find fascinating was Penny's overall lack of knowledge. Yes, that must be it. _Not Penny herself. _He reassured himself, but felt the tiniest hint of doubt coloring his thoughts.

_Yes, I am definitely becoming ill. _Sheldon shook his head, settling back into his seat to try and sleep through the lengthy flight.


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: Thanks so much for the kind reviews guys! Please continue to review, it gives me encourages me to write and update quicker! ;) Enjoy!_

_I do not own The Big Bang Theory, contrary to my deepest wishes._

Penny stretched in her bed, smiling lazily. She had slept in very late indeed, and was enjoying it immensely. This was the first day in a very long time she hadn't been woken up at a horribly early hour by a series of triple knocks to drive Doctor Whack-A-Doodle into work. Penny felt a pang at this final thought, but chalked it up to hunger. Throwing off her covers, she padded into the kitchen and started to brew a pot of coffee. Penny prayed she had enough milk to give her a decent cup of coffee; seeing as the boys were gone, she wouldn't be able to steal any of theirs. To her surprise, the carton of milk she picked up was completely full. _I haven't been to the store in days, I'm sure I didn't buy any milk... _her thoughts stopped as she saw a small slip of paper that had been under the milk carton. Confused, Penny picked up the note and began to read.

_Dear Penny,_

_You unfailingly never recall to purchase more milk, and Leonard and I have thrown out all perishable items upon our departure, therefore you cannot steal any from us as you usually do. Seeing as you will unerringly forget to purchase more milk before you run out, I have purchased you a new carton. Please remember to purchase your own milk, and please refrain from stealing ours in the future. _

_Sheldon Cooper, PhD_

Penny smiled as she finished reading. _Sheldon Cooper, doing a favor for someone? _The note was riddled with mentions of her forgetfulness and milk stealing habits, but underneath was the fact that Sheldon had actually gone out of his way to do something for someone. _And the fact that he actually did a favor for someone is why you're happy... not because that someone is you. _Closing the refrigerator and humming to herself, Penny sipped her coffee, logging on to her computer to do some online shopping, and maybe play a little Age of Conan, until work later in the afternoon.

After kicking some barbarian ass and buying a pair of incredible (-y expensive) new shoes, Penny glanced at the clock. _Shit! _She had been online longer than she'd thought. Throwing her hair up, she quickly changed into her uniform, grabbed her purse and ran out the door.

Just barely arriving at work on time, Penny greeted her first table and headed back to hand in their order.

"Hey Penny." The blonde turned around to see Bernadette behind her.

"Oh hey, Bernadette." She smiled.

"It must be weird not having the boys around, huh?" The small girl chirped.

"Yeah, it really is. No science projects, video games or comic books... bummer." Penny joked. Bernadette laughed, turning to check on her table. Bringing her table their orders, Penny walked by the boys' empty table. She felt a pang of sadness, knowing it would remain empty of her boys until the end of the summer. _I can't believe it's going to be three months without them. _Penny realized how fond she really was of the guys, even with all their nerdy craziness. They had become a huge part of her life, and although she would never admit it to anyone, she felt just the tiniest bit lost without them. Sighing, she turned to greet another table.

_It's going to be a long three months._


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: Alright, so we've fast-forwarded a two weeks into the boys' Arctic expedition. Introducing: the magic of Skype! Please review! Enjoy!_

_Sadly, I do not own The Big Bang Theory._

As she slowly opened the door, Penny felt a bit guilty. As if she was going somewhere she wasn't supposed to, which, actually, was almost exactly what she was doing. But guilt wasn't enough to stop her.

She'd been sitting in her apartment, trying her hardest not to think about the boys. The past two weeks has been difficult, especially laundry night. The laundry room seemed far too quiet without Sheldon scolding her about throwing her lights in with her darks. The laundry room wasn't the only thing that was too quiet. Since the boys' departure, every night seemed boring and silent. Penny had been doing her best to deal with it, but today had been the hardest day at work in a long time, it was hot as hell out, and she couldn't take it anymore.

This was how Penny ended up slightly guiltily tip-toeing across the hall, as if she was scared she'd be caught, and using her spare key to unlock and slowly open the door to the boys' apartment.

Almost immediately, she felt a wave of relief hit her. She took in the video games, the whiteboards, the sci-fi DVD collection, and for the first time in two weeks, Penny felt _home_. Her eyes fell on the couch, and she smiled mischievously. Walking across the room, she perched herself on the furthest seat, giggling as she wiggled her butt around in Sheldon's precious spot. She opened her laptop to check her email and maybe do some online shopping. Almost immediately, a blue icon popped up.

_Call from: SheldonCPhD_

_Allow Ignore_

She felt a burst of excitement hit her, immediately overshadowed by panic. She was in their apartment. In his spot. There was no way she could make it back to her apartment in time, and there was no way she was missing talking to her boys.

_Shit._

_S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/S/P/_

Sheldon was puzzled.

This expedition was everything he'd been meticulously planning for, a possibility for real advancement.

So why was he longing to return to California, and only two weeks into the expedition?

_Well, this expedition has interrupted my regular schedule. I must be longing for the regularity and familiarity of my life in Pasadena. _Sheldon assured himself. However this didn't explain the loud, sharp intake of his breath or the quick jump of his heart when he saw that Penny had logged into Skype, and why his mouse hit the "Call" button in under three seconds flat.

"Sheldon, what's wrong?" Leonard asked, hearing Sheldon's gasp.

"Why, nothing is wrong, as it happens Penny has just logged on and I am currently calling her via Skype." Sheldon replied, not looking away from the screen.

"Penny's on? Come to daddy, baby!" Howard exclaimed, rushing over to Sheldon and the laptop. _What a cad._ Sheldon looked at him in disgust.

Penny's face filled the screen, wearing a wide-eyed expression of surprise and... _guilt? _Her blonde hair stood out against the brown background of their couch, and... Wait._ Their_ couch?

Penny was in their apartment? And, judging by the looks of it... in _his_ spot.

Before she had a chance to speak, Sheldon looked directly into the built-in camera on the top of his laptop.

"Penny, you're in my spot... and what on _EARTH_ are you doing in our apartment?"


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: Chapter five up for you guys! The next chapter probably won't be up until Friday or Saturday. Please review! Enjoy!_

_I don't own The Big Bang Theory... I just like to play around with the characters!_

"Umm... right, your apartment... uh, well, I was late on paying my cable bill and I felt like watching some tv, so..." Penny lied, praying he believed her.

"I see. Well, I suppose that's alright. In the future please attempt to pay your bills on time. Refrain from touching any of my belongings while you are there. And for sweet Newton's sakes, get OUT of my spot." Sheldon stressed the _out_. Sighing, Penny slid over one seat. "Happy?"

"Quite." Sheldon nodded.

"Hey Penny!" Leonard popped into the picture, looking extremely chipper.

Penny sighed inwardly. "Hey, Leonard." Raj peeked over Sheldon's shoulder and waved shyly. Penny giggled. "Hey, sweetie!" Howard slid in front of Sheldon. "Oh, Penny, you look positively ravishing. Awh, did you miss me so much you just had to see my face?"

Penny shot him a death glare. "Not in a million years, Howard."

Howard sighed and slid to the side of the screen.

Penny talked to the boys for a while, asking how their expedition was, telling them how boring Pasadena was without them, how much she missed them. Raj was the first to turn in, having not been saying anything anyways, followed by Howard, and then Leonard, leaving only Sheldon. After chatting for a while about Age of Conan and how he was coping with Wolowitz's shenanigans, Sheldon asked about how life in Pasadena was going.

"It's okay, I guess... really boring without you guys here. I didn't realize what a big part of my life you all are until you left." Penny said quietly.

Sheldon sighed. "I, too, find it very odd not having you around. I suppose you have also become an integral member in our social circle."

Penny looked at him for a moment, before speaking so quietly it was nearly a whisper. "I miss you, Moonpie."

Sheldon didn't say anything for a few seconds. "Please refrain from calling me that, only Meemaw can call me Moonpie."

Penny sighed, looking away.

"However, I find myself reciprocating the sentiment you've expressed." Sheldon continued.

Penny looked back, staring at the screen with wide eyes. Sheldon was admitting to feeling an emotion?

"I miss you as well, Penny." Sheldon clarified, obviously thinking she hadn't understood.

Penny's smile grew wide. Sheldon looked away, looking a bit embarrassed, then cleared his throat.

"I suppose I should retire for the evening. It was pleasant talking to you, Penny."

"Alright. Night, Sheldon." Penny smiled, shutting her laptop lid.

In all honestly, she hadn't really expected Sheldon to miss her. Yeah, they were friends, but didn't he think she was annoying and, well... stupid?

_Obviously not... _she thought. She couldn't stop smiling, which she didn't understand at all. _Why is this making me so happy?_

_Maybe there's a bit of truth to what Michelle and Becca said... _Penny quickly killed that train of thought. No. This was Sheldon. She couldn't possibly like Sheldon...

_...Could I?_


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: Chapter 6 for you. This story is becoming much longer than I expected it to be! Thank you so much to everyone for all the positive feedback, I really appreciate it! Enjoy!_

_If I owned The Big Bang Theory, I wouldn't have to write this story._

Penny trudged up the stairs, carrying her basket of fresh, clean clothes under her arm. As she reached the fourth floor, she glanced at her apartment before walking in the opposite direction. For the past three weeks, ever since that first Skype session with the boys, she had taken to spending most of her time in the boys' apartment. Her own apartment was a huge mess. She couldn't find the time nor the will to clean the place, and the boys' apartment was so clean, that was definitely why she spent so much time there. Totally. No doubt about it.

Unlocking the door, Penny stepped into the immaculate apartment, setting down her basket. She suddenly remembered Sheldon's folding board. _That might be fun to try._ Penny thought, walking down the hall towards Sheldon's room. She paused, remembering Sheldon's words. _No one can be in room, Penny..._

Shaking her head, show opened the door. Spotting the board beside the dresser, Penny walked across the room to get it, when she noticed a basket of pristinely folded clothes.

Penny would never know what possessed her to do it. She reached out slowly and picked up the shirt on top. His blue Superman shirt. Before she knew what she was doing, she brought the shirt to her face, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply. She was suddenly surrounded by the unique, clean scent that was Sheldon. As she pulled away, she saw dark spots on the shirt. She brought her fingers up to touch her cheeks, and was surprised when they came away wet. She hadn't even realized she was crying.

In that moment one absolutely overwhelming, yet so infinitely simple truth was confirmed.

Penny's mind was suddenly flooded by images. Waving goodbye to Sheldon as he left for the Arctic.

Christmas. _Leonard, look! Sheldon's hugging me! _

Sheldon, lying in bed sick. _Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur..._

Her fall in the shower._ It doesn't feel like an arm..._

Playing HALO. _Someone that attractive can NOT be that good at HALO!_

Sheldon's triple knock. _Penny?...Penny?...Penny?_

Laundry night. _Well, your Ken can kiss my Barbie!_

Age of Conan. Thai night. Paintball. Penny blossoms.

Penny and Sheldon. Sheldon and Penny.

_Oh God._

She was in love with Sheldon.

She, Penny, was in love with the crazy, strange, brilliant, _amazing_ whack-a-doodle that was Doctor Sheldon Cooper, PhD.

"Oh, God." Penny said out loud to no one. "Oh, God." She was completely overwhelmed, but she knew it was true.

"I love him..."


	7. Chapter 7

_AN: Chapter 7 is up! Sorry it's a bit late guys, I've been completely swamped the past few days and haven't had any time to write. Read and review! Enjoy!_

_I don't own The Big Bang Theory, or any of it's delicious characters._

It had been six weeks since the boys had left Pasadena. The trip was exactly half-way over. Sheldon had been growing increasingly confused since his conversation via Skype with Penny. He never expressed emotion around anyone, let alone tell someone he missed them. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd missed someone. No matter how hard he tried, though, he couldn't deny it. He missed Penny more with each passing day. This completely baffled him, and he often tried to ignore the longing he felt for Pasadena and his blonde neighbor.

On this particular day, the boys were sitting around the cabin, eating and chatting amiably. Well, Leonard, Howard and Raj were. Sheldon stared at a small spot on the floor between the table and the couch, his mind returning uncontrollably to blonde hair, golden skin, and a smile that could brighten the room in seconds. As hard as he tried to keep his mind on track, it inevitably veered towards Penny. It was only after a long while that Sheldon realized the rest of the boys were staring at him.

"Do I have some form of residue on my face?" He said, wiping at his cheeks.

"No." Leonard responded in a stilted voice.

"Then why are you all staring at me in such a manner?" Sheldon's brow creased.

"Dude, you haven't said a word the entire conversation." Raj explained.

"Yeah, Raj just spilled sauce on the sofa and you didn't even notice!" Howard exclaimed. "What's wrong with you today?"

Sheldon instantly went on the defense. "There is nothing "wrong" with me, gentlemen. You know I don't care for banal chit-chat. I was merely thinking about someon... _something_. Raj, clean up the sauce this instant before it seeps in and stains the fabric."

Leonard stared at him for a long moment, then sighed. "Sheldon, may I have a word with you?"

"Certainly." Sheldon said, rising from the couch to follow Leonard into one of the two bedrooms. Leonard shut the door purposefully behind them.

"What would you like to discuss?" Sheldon asked.

"Sheldon. You miss Penny." Leonard said.

"Well, I suppose, she has become integrated into my daily schedules, and because of this I..."

"_Sheldon._" Leonard interrupted. Sheldon became silent. "You have _feelings_ for her."

Sheldon scoffed. "Excuse me, sir, the only feelings I have for that woman are pity and disdain."

"No, Sheldon. You _like_ her. I've seen you these past six weeks; the only time you look remotely happy is when you're talking to Penny. The rest of the time, you sulk." Leonard crossed his arms.

"I do not _sulk_..."

"You sulk." Leonard continued. "I've never even heard of you missing someone in the whole time I've known you. This... this is not just about "familiarity" and "schedules". Sheldon, you have to come to terms with the fact that you're not above feelings."

"But... But I'm homo novus..." Sheldon stuttered, growing quieter.

"No. You like Penny."

Sheldon sat silently, eyes downcast.

Leonard took a deep breath. "Sheldon. I've had feelings for Penny since the first time I met her. She's beautiful, funny, and she puts up with all of us, especially you."

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "Leonard, it's fairly obvious to everyone how you feel about Penny..."

"Just listen. I've had feelings for Penny since meeting her. However," at this, Leonard cringed, obviously fighting a battle with himself,"I think... I think she might like you, too."

Sheldon's head snapped up, eyes wide and jaw open.

"You guys always argue in this... this way that only you two can. You constantly challenge each other; push each others' boundaries. She's... she's different when she's around you, Sheldon. And you're different around her." At this moment, Leonard visibly deflated. "I can't believe I'm saying this, to you of all people, but... Sheldon, this is a breakthrough for you, and... I won't let you give it up. You need... you need to be with Penny."

Sheldon stared at Leonard. "You wish Penny and I to be together? After all the time you've spent infatuated with her?"

Leonard looked pained. "Yes, Sheldon. As hard as it may be, it's possible for me to find another girl. You, on the other hand... well, let's just say it's a miracle this happened at all with one girl, let alone waiting for it to happen again."

Sheldon looked down, let out a breath, then looked back up. "Leonard, I understand this is a tremendous sacrifice on your part, and... I thank you for such extreme generosity. You are a true friend, Leonard."

A small smile appeared on Leonard's face. "It's for the best, Sheldon." He turned and left, shutting the door quietly behind him, leaving Sheldon to think about all that had just happened.


	8. AUTHOR'S NOTE

_AN: Hey guys, so unfortunately I won't have internet access until Monday, and then after Thursday I won't have access again. What I am going to try to do is finish the story and post the chapters instead of posting them at intervals. Thanks for all your support, guys!_

_-Victoria xx_


	9. Chapter 8

_AN: Oh, good Lord. I am SO sorry I haven't update in such a long time, everyone. I was away on vacation for a while, and then school started, and I have literally had NO TIME to write this story. Chapter eight is FINALLY up though! Prepare for some mushy-gushy, ooey-gooey-ness. Thank you so much for sticking with me, guys. You're the best! :) Enjoy!_

_I do not own The Big Bang Theory!_

_One more month._

_Just one more month._

Penny sat on her couch, staring at the television, but not seeing any of the images upon it.

_One more month until my boys come home._

In exactly thirty days, she would finally, _finally_ see her boys again.

_One more month until he comes home._

Finally, _finally_ see him again.

Ever since her epiphany two weeks prior, Penny had been thinking of Sheldon non-stop. She missed him terribly, and had caught herself holding back tears on many occasions. She just needed to see him, touch him, feel him, just know that he was there, with her. She knew there was almost no chance that he was capable of returning her feelings, but she couldn't bring herself to even attempt to diminish her feelings for him.

Penny had dated a lot of guys throughout her life. All built, ripped meatheads, with big muscles and tiny IQs. All disappointments. She knew now that she wanted Sheldon or nothing at all. Enough of the men who thought with their little head instead of the one on their neck. Penny wanted the big, beautiful brain of Sheldon Cooper, PhD.

She glanced at her watch. _10:22. Please let him still be awake._

Grabbing her laptop, she quickly typed her password into Skype, waiting until she heard the beeping sound that notified she had successfully logged in. Sheldon's status was set to away.

_Please._

Penny typed and sent a quick message.

_PennyBlossoms4 says:_

_Sheldon? You there, sweetie?_

She sat waiting, holding her breath. She _needed_ to talk to him. Needed to see him. Needed to...

_SheldonCPhD says:_

_Hello, Penny. Yes, I am here._

She smiled, sighing contently. _Thank god._

_PennyBlossoms4 says:_

_Good :) How's the Arctic, moonpie?_

Penny smirked.

_SheldonCPhD says:_

_Don't call me moonpie._

She laughed.

_SheldonCPhD says:_

_We are beginning to wrap up our experiments. Only thirty days remain until our return home._

_PennyBlossoms4 says:_

_I know. I can't WAIT to see you guys! :D_

_SheldonCPhD says:_

_I am looking forward to returning home._

Penny smiled wistfully. _I'm looking forward to it, too._

_SheldonCPhD says:_

_Unfortunately, I must take my leave shortly, therefore using a webcam for such a short period of time would be nonsensical. _

Penny's face fell.

_PennyBlossoms4 says:_

_You're leaving? Why so soon? :(_

_SheldonCPhD says:_

_I am utterly exhausted, and believe I may be becoming ill._

_PennyBlossoms4 says:_

_Aww, you're getting sick? :(_

_SheldonCPhD says:_

_Yes._

Penny bit her lip.

_PennyBlossoms4 says:_

_I wish I was there to sing you Soft Kitty._

_SheldonCPhD says:_

_I find myself wishing the same._

Penny's breathing stopped. _I find myself wishing the same_. He wanted her there, with him.

It's funny how one little sentence can take your breath away.

_SheldonCPhD says:_

_Perhaps you could utilize the webcam as a substitute?_

Penny's heart melted_. _Did he even realize how adorable he was?

_PennyBlossoms4 says:_

_Of course, sweetie :)_

She clicked the call button. He answered before the first ring had finished.

Even through the webcam, she could see that Sheldon was definitely coming down with a cold. His skin was flushed, his eyes downcast.

"Oh, Sheldon."

Sheldon just looked at her dejectedly.

It nearly broke her heart.

"Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur, happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr..."

A tiny smile appeared on Sheldon's face. "Thank you, Penny."

Penny smiled. "You're welcome, sweetie."

"I apologize, but I must retire now. Please understand." Sheldon said quietly.

"Of course." Penny nodded. "Get that beautiful brain of yours back in the game."

"Pleasant dreams, Penny."

"Goodnight, sweetie. Feel better soon."

Penny closed her lid. Sighing, she mustered up the strength to pick herself up off the couch, switch the tv off, and carry herself to bed.


	10. Chapter 9

_AN: Holy god, guys. Has it been forever or what? I haven't updated this story in close to a year, and I would like to sincerely apologize to all the readers who have continued to review and ask for updates. I lost inspiration for this story for a very long time, and it was only after a wicked awesome reader messaged me about this story that I finally considered continuing it. After going back and forth trying to decide on whether to keep writing, I've finally decided to finish the story! Thank you so much to everyone who is still reading, reviewing, and following this story, without you I never would have continued it!_

_A special thank you to seza3175, I know it took me a while to read and reply to your message, but it was ultimately the reason I decided to keep writing. You rock! :)_

_This chapter is where the M rating starts to come in. You've been warned!_

_And now, finally, on with the story!_

Sheldon had been laying in bed for what seemed like an eternity. His sinuses felt as if someone had been pounding them with a mallet, his nose continued to drip, no matter how many tissues he used, and his body was run down and tired as if he had run a marathon. The only highlight in this plethora of illness was the brief moment when Penny's face had appeared on his computer screen, her voice singing him Soft Kitty through his speakers.

Penny. Penny, who had always been there for him, who had played HALO with him, who had taken care of him in his sickness.

Penny, who, as Leonard had put it, he had somehow developed feelings for.

As Sheldon lay in bed, he began to picture Penny in his head; her bright, blonde hair, her tan skin, her slim, fit figure, her perfect breasts...

Sheldon blinked. Certainly he had noticed Penny's aesthetically appealing looks; it was simple fact that she was attractive, however his thoughts had never been drawn in... _that_ direction before.

Sexuality was something Sheldon was neither comfortable nor familiar with. It was the one area that he held absolutely no expertise in; the one category in which he could not be considered a genius. He had never before held any interest whatsoever in anything remotely sexual, considering it below someone like him, someone above primal urges. However, as he thought of Penny, laying sick in his bed, he felt something very primal indeed stirring within him.

_I must be more ill than I previously suspected,_ Sheldon thought. _Yes. It's the illness, not the thought of Penny's long, tan legs or perfectly rounded breasts..._

Sheldon became startled as he felt a certain part of his anatomy begin to stand at attention at his increasingly sexual thoughts of Penny. _Unacceptable. I'm no better than Howard and his perverted mind._

He attempted to will his erection to subside, thinking of all things he found unattractive. He shuddered as he finally settled on the memory of Leonard's mother kissing him, how disgusted he had been. As he continued to remember the horror of the event, he felt his anatomy returning to it's previous normal state.

_Crisis averted._

Sheldon halfheartedly attempted to blame his reaction on his illness, but it was no use. For the first time in his entire existence, he was physically, sexually attracted to someone.

_This is worse than I originally thought._


End file.
